The Messenger( Iva) novel Chapter 239

What Happens Next?-4

Claim

What Happens Next?-4

The discovery-the chance to know each other-was actually happening.

Lori turned away from the notice board before the girls could notice her staring. She walked toward her next class with her head spinning and her heart full.

*What am I going to do?* she thought.

*Apply for the job,* Layla said simply. *Obviously.*

*I can’t just… apply. Everyone will know. Everyone will wonder why the headmaster chose me.*

*Because you are the most qualified.*

Lori almost laughed. She was a first-year medical student. She had no administrative experience. There were dozens of students more qualified for a position like that.

But none of them were his fated mate.

She shoved the thought aside and focused on getting through the rest of her classes.

By the time the final bell rang, Lori was exhausted.

Not from the coursework-though that had been demanding enough-but from the constant, exhausting effort of *not thinking about him.* Every time her mind wandered, it wandered to Attia. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw his face.

She met Iva at their usual spot near the library, and they walked in silence to Lori’s room.

The moment the door closed behind them, Iva rounded on her.

“Okay. Spill. Everything. From the beginning.”

Lori collapsed onto her bed and stared at the ceiling before starting to share with her best friend.

Iva was silent for a moment.

“That’s… actually really mature decission,” she said finally.

“I know.”

“And kind of romantic, in a weird, intense, Attia way.”

Lori laughed a small, surprised sound. “I guess.”

“So what are you going to do?”

Lori looked at her friend.

“I’m going to apply for the job,” she said. “And I’m going to spend time with him. And I’m going to figure out if this-if we-can work.”

12

< What Happens Next? -4

Iva reached over and squeezed her hand.

think that’s brave,” she said.

“I think it’s terrifying”

“Same thing, usually.”

They sat together in comfortable silence, the weight of the day slowly lifting.

Outside the window, the sun was beginning to set, painting the sky in shades of orange and pink. Somewhere in the distance, a bell rang.

“Lori,” Iva said quietly.

“Yeah?”

“I’m proud of you. For not running. For facing this. For giving it a chance.”

Claim

That night, after Iva left, Lori sat at her desk and opened her laptop.

The job posting was exactly where the girls had said it would be-on the academy’s internal job board, listed under “Temporary Administrative Assistant – Headmaster’s Office.”

She read the description three times.

Then she closed her eyes, took a breath, and clicked “Apply.”

The application form was simple. Name. Student ID. Qualifications. A brief statement of interest.

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